JumpCloud Offers Cloud-Based Directory-as-a-Service

We hear about the benefits and advantages of cloud computing and cloud services on a regular basis, as more and more companies migrate to and take advantage of the cloud. But it poses a number of challenges as well, and one of the major ones is authentication as companies struggle to integrate cloud services with their on-premises Active Directory and LDAP solutions.

Colorado-based JumpCloud ran into this very problem as the company was starting up as a pure cloud-based startup, and decided to provide a solution. TMC CEO Rich Tehrani got a chance to speak to Greg Keller, chief product officer at JumpCloud, about the company’s unique authentication solutions at the recent INTEROP New York 2014 event.

“In the age of the cloud, as companies are trying to migrate pieces of their infrastructure to the cloud, the complexity of having the user authenticated and authorized to be on all those bits and pieces of hard to reach cloud infrastructure is really problematic,” said Keller. “We have manufactured a directory-as-a-service (DaaS). So, for companies that are probably most familiar with Active Directory or LDAP, we consider those incredible pieces of software, but we also see they are incredibly legacy pieces of software.”

JumpCloud’s offering may be used as a standalone, full-blown directory for companies just starting up in the cloud that don’t have any legacy solutions in place. Keller was quick to point out that the company embraces open protocols, and also works with Active Directory and LDAP for those companies migrating infrastructure and services to the cloud. JumpCloud’s DaaS works side by side with existing on-premises and legacy directory services.

Very simply, DaaS securely authenticates employees and IT resources via a single cloud-based user directory. JumpCloud manages the offering in the cloud, making it an extremely simple and cost-effective solution for small businesses and larger enterprises migrating to the cloud. In fact, the company is giving away the solution for free up to the first 10 users. Companies can then scale up the offering as needed.

“DaaS handles everything from device management to working with LDAP and Active Directory in a cooperative manner to do services for them that they can’t do,” added Keller. “And also being this sort of infinitely extensible LDAP endpoint behind the scenes.”